On December 8, the Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception. On this day, we recognize that Mary was conceived free from original sin. She received this extraordinary privilege because she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus, and at the very moment of her conception, she was given the gift of salvation.
The Church holds Mary up as a model for all humanity in her holiness and purity, and in her willingness to accept God’s plan for her life. Her words “Let it be done unto me according to thy Word” give us the response we must make when God calls us in our own lives.
